Monday, November 2, 2015

FICTION: The Yanks persevered last night and defeated their cross-town rivals, 7-2 in twelve innings. The Mets had played brilliantly, and Matt Harvey was spinning a shut-out At the end of 8 innings, the score was 2-0 Mets ( The 2 run total, ironically, was the same maximum run production per game generated by the Yankees in 2015).

There was an overhanging fear, however, and that was that this Yankee team was pesky, aggressive, and would not be intimidated. In the 9th inning, the rookie , Greg Bird, made the play of the day. He was on third, the Yankees had moved the score to 2-1 and there was one out. The Mets' personable and entertaining Manager played the infield in to cut off the tying run at the plate.

Sure enough, a soft ground ball was hit to the left side of the infield. Unfortunately for the Mets, David Wright had to field it, leaving no one to hold the runner close to the bag. Instinctively, David tried to look him back and throw to first for the second out. Bird realized, however, that there was no threat to him at third and, even with the look over ( a kind of "neighborhood play" in his mind), he crept closer to home. The instant that Wright released his throw to first, Bird took off for home. He knew that the team had been behind all day and this might be their only shot at tying the game, breaking the spirit of the Mets and their fans with one move.

Duda caught Wright's throw and threw awkwardly to home. He did not have the time to really set his feet, and his throw went awry. Bird scored. Tie game.

Now it would be a battle of bullpens, and you knew the Mets had no shot.

FACTS : The real Yankee team had long ago dispersed and started their off-season golf and fishing trips. They had lost 11 of their last 12 regular season games but, somehow, still backed into the one game play-in, where they scored zero runs. The Yankee management and owners are patting themselves on the back, lighting cigars to the success of the 2015 season. A great step-up from 2014.

From a Yankee fans' perspective, this is a dead franchise now. We have no chance of getting back to the World Series, much less a shot at scoring runs, coming from behind, being aggressive and winning it. Not in most of our lifetimes.

The owners get richer every year and the team gets worse. Cashman and Girardi are rewarded for failure. Each year, the Yankees take some extreme action against a meaningless member of the organization, and convince themselves that the problem has been excised.

The young players the Yankees have all fit in the, " average," category though, by comparison ( to the over-paid, former star players still under contract ) they are refreshing and fun to watch. But there is no future. Compare them to the young players you just saw playing in the World Series. It makes your spirit and enthusiasm sag, doesn't it?

We are burdened, for several more years, with a bunch of worn out tires. High end, Michelin tires, but worn out just the same. You think A-Rod will be better next year? Jacoby will be faster? Brett will hit .300 and be an all star again? Our hot young, flame throwing pitcher ( Eovaldi ) could not hold up, while those of the Mets and Royals are thriving, and throw harder with more control. We fill out the staff with an old drunk, a Japanese guy who will need arm surgery, and idiot who can only pitch well with pine tar, and another guy who we traded Jesus to get. Luis Severino will surely need arm surgery and Adam Warren will be our " go to " guy. And one guy in the bullpen, upon whom we can depend. Nice work, there, Brian. Enjoy your off-season celebration.

The truth is: the Yankees are done. And for a decade, minimum. What is there to root for?

So some of us substituted the "play-in " game Yankee roster for the Royal line-up, tocreate a fictional interest in the goings on. The baseball was exciting and dramatic. The better team won, though the Mets will certainly be back next year.

The Yankees will win 80 games. And Girardi will wear number 27 on his back until he gets sciatica and retires.

9 comments:

Anonymous
said...

WOW...I'M AN "END OF THE WORLD" YANKEE FAN, BUT ALPHONSO, YOU ARE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE "OPTIMISTIC OLLIE"....HAL NEEDS TO OPEN UP HIS PURSE AGAIN, AND WE NEED TO TRUST SOME OF OUR PROSPECTS (THEY'RE BETTER THAN YOU THINK).....IT'S ROUGHER FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE CASHMAN PULLING THE STRINGS, PLUS WE DON'T PLAY IN THE WORST DIVISION IN BASEBALL LIKE THE METS DO...BUT, STRANGER THINGS CAN HAPPEN...MAYBE WE CAN WIN THAT FUCKING ONE-GAME PLAY-IN NEXT YEAR...

Took 10 years for KC to go from worst team in MLB to champs. We should be able to do it a little quicker than that.

Looking at roster I see Headley and Gardner striking out 135 times each; I see a black hole at second base; and I see A Rod and McCann both dying down the stretch. I think we've got an in-house solution for second, can reduce Headley's ARod's and McCann's at bats, and can trade Gardner. There is hope of removing some of the deadspots in the order.

The pitching looks pretty good. Don't advise paying Scherzer money to get Price. If you can't get Price, sign Young from KC and add some relievers.

Hey if their core of kids (Bird, Severino, Heathcott, Judge, Sanchez) coming up crap out, they won't go anywhere. But they might just do o.k. and the team is pretty good right now.

ceeja is a little more optimistic than I am. I fear that the Royals success has bought us another year of Girardi trying to be the Royals. More Betances regardless of the score. More Ellsbury swinging at and making an out on the 1st pitch. More talking about trying to make contact and not trying to hit a home-run every pitch all while Joe plays Stephen "Mr. 194" Drew everyday. Even more talking about contact while he loads the lineups with lefties because Hey, what good is the short porch if we don't use it? More of Cashman and Hal trying to build the team from within despite lacking anybody in the organization who can either spot talent or develop talent.

After a fourth straight year of a frustrating team that hovers just above .500 all of the Royals will become free agents and the Yankees will just buy them and finally become Kansas City East. This team used to be the model of success, what happened? Seriously someone lease answer that, what happened?

Look on the bright side. If they suck it will weed out the fair weather fans, and all the obnoxious investment bankers and celebrites will go over to the Mets where they belong. And the Steinbrenners will panic and sell the team to someone who will put in competent management.

LETS (SERIOUSLY) POST 5 MOVES THE YANKS SHOULD MAKE TO BE RELEVANT NEXT SEASON. HERE'S MY 5 MOVES. 1.) GET CRAIG KIMBREL- (GARDY WOULD HAVE TO GO, THIS MAY BE WORTH IT THOUGH).2.) COMMIT TO ROB REFSNYDER, FULL TIME, AT 2ND BASE3.) KEEP GREG BIRD ON THE ROSTER AND FIND A WAY TO GET HIM AT LEAST 400 AT BATS4.) SIGN PRICE, OR GREINKE,IF POSSIBLE- (NOT CUETO OR ZIMMERMAN)- I BET WE WILL GET SAMARDJIA (I COULD LIVE WITH HIM-BUT HE'S NOT A BIG ENOUGH DIFFERENCE MAKER)...5.) PROMOTE AARON JUDGE AS SOON AS HE GETS HOT IN SCRANTON, AND PLAY HIM IN RIGHT FIELD AGAINST LEFTIES, AND BELTRAN PLAYS AGAINST RIGHTIES.

Like the idea of a power bullpen. I was a fan of trading Gardner but how about just dumping Beltran? Platoon Judge and Ackley (and possibly Bird) in right. I'm sure the Mets would want Beltran back. He's holding back the younger players who need playing time. At least Gardner can still play defense and has a few good years left.

Yes, go with Ref and Ackley at second. You need someone to play third and to back up shortstop. Playing third takes some bats away from the awful Headley. Best guy I can think of is Castro from the Cubs. But they would want a lot for him. Otherwise a Nunez type would do just fine. Anyone but Ryan.

Re pitching, Price is going to get a Scherzer contract. Even though it's Steinbrenner's money, it still becomes an albatross that prevents future moves. I'd sign Young from KC.